Super Mario: The Divine RPG
by ViewtifulYoshi5
Summary: A strange portal opens in Princess Peach's new academy. Mario and friends must now master the powers of persona to find their way through a tricky maze and find a supernatural interloper.


**This fanfiction contains characters and concepts that I do not own. The Mario series is owned by Nintendo and the Shim Megami Tensei: Persona series belongs to Atlus.**

**In an attempt to emulate the style of the Persona games, possible dialogue choices for Mario are in italics and the choice Mario makes will be in bold. The extra dialogue choices are meant to show Mario's different thoughts and/or different story paths that Mario could have taken. **

May 17, 2013 – Friday – Evening

Mario found himself walking down a long hallway in Princess Peach's castle with his brother, Luigi.

Mario and Luigi are human plumbers. Mario always wears blue suspenders with a red shirt underneath. Mario was wearing his signature red hat with a monogrammed "M" on it. Luigi is never seen without his blue suspenders with a green shirt underneath. Luigi's hat was also green and had a monogrammed "L" on it. The brothers both had a mustache. Mario and Luigi were plumbers in Brooklyn before the pair was magically transported to the Mushroom Kingdom. They were able to make use of the magic fungus growing naturally in the land to save Princess Peach from Bowser, the Koopa King.

The Princess asked that the Mario Bros. come to talk to her tonight. Mario and Luigi were good friends with the princess at this point, so they didn't think too much of it. However, they both knew that something serious could always come up. The pair basically became heroes since arriving in the kingdom. Mario embraced his fighting spirit and enjoyed the attention. The same can't be said for shy Luigi.

Then again, the Mario bros. also worked as plumbers during times of peace. The Mushroom Kingdom uses warp pipes as a means of transportation, so Mario and Luigi stay pretty busy no matter what's going on in the kingdom.

"Hey Bro. Why do you think the princess asked us to visit her like this?" Luigi said to his brother.

Mario:

_"Maybe a kidnapping?"_

_"Maybe a threat?"_

**_"Maybe she baked a cake?"_**

Luigi smirked and said, "Ha! What wouldn't you do for some cake? Anyway, it probably has something to do with that huge building that she had constructed just outside Toad Town. Anyway, here's the throne room. You first, bro."

The brothers came to a pair of huge doors. Mario slowly opened the doors to reveal Peach's throne room. The room was incredibly spacious. Mushroom Kingdom banners were hanging on the walls. The throne sat atop a small series of steps. Princess Peach was sitting on the throne and was the only one in the room.

Princess Peach had long blonde hair covered by a small crown and she was wearing a formal pink dress. Peach is among the few humans known to be native to the Mushroom Kingdom and was the only living member of the royal family at the time. The princess was an elegant and sweet young woman, but she had a temper too. It was revealed that she had feelings for Mario, but the pair were not in relationship.

"Oh! Mario! Luigi! I'm so glad you can make it! I have a proposal for you!" Peach said with delight.

"We're all ears, your majesty," Luigi said.

Peach smiled contently. "As you probably already know, I commissioned a school to be built outside of Toad Town," the princess said.

"That's fantastic, your highness! Umm… Don't we already have a school near town, though?" said Luigi.

The princess giggled to herself. "This school is different. It's a school to teach students to fight," she said.

Luigi's jaw drops for a moment. Mario himself was rather surprised. The Mushroom Kingdom royal guard was basically for show. The soldiers in the castle have yet to stop a threat to the castle by themselves.

Luigi finally broke the silence. "Your highness! Are… are you serious?" he said. He seems hesitant of the idea.

Mario:

_**"Wonderful idea, Peach!"**_

_"Should we really be teaching warfare, your highness?"_

_"Where do I sign up?"_

Peach's smile is just beaming. "Oh! I knew you would feel that way!" she said as she politely folded her hands in front of her dress.

Mario thought how much of a pain it must be to be raised for royalty. He couldn't imagine holding back his emotions all of the time. He always respected that about Peach. She sounds like a lady even when she didn't feel like it.

Luigi sighed to himself. Luigi was silent for a moment or two. "Well, I suppose the royal guard could use a bit of training," he finally said.

"Exactly, Luigi," Peach said, "The royal guard has been lacking a little bit as of late. I think the Mushroom Kingdom would have an outstanding defense department if some education was introduced. We need warriors to teach the next generation how to defend our homeland."

"I'm following you, your highness," Luigi said, "So where do we fit in to your… wait… are you going to say what I'm thinking you're about to say?"

Peach closed her eyes and nodded. "I want you two to be teachers at my school," she said.

Mario didn't know what to make out of the situation. He was curious why the princess was suddenly so interested in defense. This was completely unlike her. He thought for a moment. The reason for Peach's change of heart doesn't really matter. What would change if he took the job? There would be a lot of people looking up to him. Mario smiled to himself. Not only that, but he would be involved with the royal guard without all of the formalities.

Mario shrugged his shoulders to hide his pride.

Mario:

_"I'll whip those guys into shape!"_

_**"If it's for the next generation..."**_

_"School brings back some bad memories."_

"I suppose… but we don't know anything about teaching!" Luigi said.

"Please!" Peach said. "I'll pay you 10 times the amount you would earn plumbing. I just ask that you oversee classes for one year." "Please. You're a hero in this land," Peach said as she looked into Mario's eyes. "Will you please teach these students?

Mario:

_**"Yes"**_

_"No."_

Peach was overjoyed. She quickly turned to Luigi. He was looking down at his shoes. He then looked up at the princess.

"Ok. If my bro is ok with this, then I am too," Luigi said.

"Wonderful!" Peach said. "I'll have Toadsworth help you fill out the paperwork. If you two would be so kind as to take a tour of the school tomorrow too, I would really appreciate it."

Luigi nodded and said, "We'll be there. It's about time to call it night though. Good night, your highness."

"Good night, boys," Peach said, "Thanks again!"

Mario walked back to the Mario Bros. house with Luigi.

May 17, 2013 – Friday – Late Night

Mario and Luigi were having a late dinner after talking to Peach. The atmosphere in the room was tense. Luigi didn't seem too pleased about the turn of events.

"This is all so crazy, bro." Luigi finally said. "Why would Peach build a school so suddenly? How am I going to teach anyone? I'm just a plumber." Luigi looked down on his plate and frowned.

Mario:

_"It'll be fun!"_

_**"We're helping Toad Town."**_

_"I got a doctorate. I might as well teach."_

Luigi looked back at Mario and said, "Yeah…yeah! You're right!" Luigi flashed a smile to his brother. "We're just doing what we're always doing! The Mario Bros. are side by side working to save the kingdom! We're just doing saving everyone indirectly this time. Thanks, Mario. You always know just what to say!"

Luigi seemed really happy again. Mario smiled as Luigi finished his meal.

"Ah. Nothing like mushroom steaks to finish the day on," Luigi said. "I think I'll go to bed here in a little bit. Night, Mario."

Mario nodded. Luigi took his plate into the kitchen. Mario wasn't sure what to expect out of this school either but he knew that he had to stay positive. That was the attitude that he got him through many battles. Mario took his plate into the kitchen too and got ready for bed. Sleep enveloped Mario pretty much as soon as his head hit the pillow.

May 17, 2013 – Friday – Late Night

Strangely comforting music began to play. Mario could hear a voice.

"Welcome to the Velvet room," the mysterious voice said.

Mario opened his eyes to see an old man wearing a suit. He seemed to be the one talking in the mysterious voice. The old man had an incredibly long nose and beady eyes. There was an odd woman sitting next to the old man. She was blonde, seemed to be wearing a blue flight attendant suit, and her eyes almost seemed to shine.

Mario was amazed. He hadn't seen a new group of humans in ages. The two of them eyes were a little unsettling to Mario, but he had seen much stranger sights in his time in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Mario suddenly realized that he isn't in his bed anymore. He didn't even have a slight clue where he might be.

Mario looked slowly around the room. He was in a blue hued room and was sitting in a wooden chair. The old man was sitting on a bench facing Mario. The woman was sitting on a bench perpendicular to the old man to the old man's left. There was a small table in front of the old man.

The sound of train tracks was audible just below the room. The windows in the room were too dark to see out of. The room felt like it is moving. Mario thought that he might be on a train but he wasn't sure.

The old man suddenly said, "*Chuckle* You're confused, aren't you? That is perfectly natural. You are in the state between dream and reality. You are fast asleep in the real world. So just relax. You are a guest in the Velvet room. You are most welcome."

The old man grinned from ear to ear.

The old man continued, "My name is Igor. This is my assistant, Madeline."

"Nice to meet you," Madeline said. Madeline's voice sounded cheery but only the faintest smile could be found on her face.

Mario:

_"What's going on?"_

_**"Why am I here?"**_

_"What do you want?"_

"Only people who have entered a contract may enter this room, said Igor. "It seems you made a promise that will ultimately determine your fate. Take a look around this room. This room reflects the heart of the guest. This train has many possible destinations. It's your choice what destination that will be. Just remember to take responsibility for your actions."

Mario glanced around the room. Nothing in the room looked familiar. His head felt a little fuzzy too. Mario frowned for a second.

"Patience is a virtue," Igor said. "Going into things headfirst is not always advisable. There are times in life when your actions must be carefully planned."

Igor pulled out a stack of tarot cards and set them on the table in front of him.

"Have you ever had your fortune read?" Igor asked. "The same cards are used in each reading, but the outcome is always different. Would you like me to read your fortune?"

Mario:

_**"No."**_

_"Yes."_

"Hmmm… Do you know the path that you must take?" Igor said.

Mario:

_**"Yes."**_

_"No."_

Igor kept smiling and said, "Is the answer always so clear? Anyway, my role is to assist guests in this room. How I'll do that though…*Chuckle* will be better understood at another time. Before you go though, what name do you perfer to go by?"

Mario:

_**"Mario."**_

_"…"_

"Splendid," Igor said rather joyfully. "I look forward to providing you with my services. It's been ages since we had such a… colorful guest. Until we meet again, farewell."

The Velvet room faded away slowly. Mario woke up in his bed. He felt as though he just had vivid dream, but couldn't make heads or tails out of it yet.

May 18, 2013 – Saturday – Daytime

Mario walked to the school with Luigi.

"Ummm… ok… Yeah. The school should be just over this hill," Luigi said as they continued down the path.

Mario and Luigi walked over the hill to see a large tan colored building. The building looked like any old high school back in America. The building had a main square hub with three floors. Two wings shot off the building on the right and left. The wings each had two floors. The words "Toad Town Defense Academy" was written on an archway overseeing a small road leading to the school. Part of a sports field could be seen in the back along with a few dueling rings scattered over the campus. There also seemed to be a few other buildings scattered around the campus. A fence encloses the campus.

"Man. It looks like all the toads came to see the place," Luigi said. "I guess it's not that surprising. I'm just amazed how quickly they built this place. I mean, how did they do the plumbing and all that, bro? Aren't we the only plumbers in… well… the kingdom?"

Mario and Luigi walked up to the gates of the Academy. The toads were all gathering around the gate just like Luigi said. Toads look like giant talking mushrooms. The domed caps on their head are spotted and the color of the spots depends on the toad. The toads were all murmuring to themselves.

" Finally," said one chatty toad. "It's about time the Princess took defense seriously. Two man armies can only do so much."

"Tax coins at work, man," responded another toad. "Hey, maybe we should join the royal guard?"

The chatty toad thought for a second and said, "Hmmmm… That could be a good idea. With that spiked lunatic so close to our border, it would have good job security."

The sound of a chopper suddenly could be heard over the sound of the toads. The Koopa Clown Copter was coming into view! The Koopa Clown Car looked like a giant teacup with a clown face painted on it and was the primary vehicle of Bowser himself. There was a propeller underneath the copter, but the blades are so small that it looked like the copter was breaking the laws of physics.

The toads noticed as well and started to run back to town in a panic. The Koopa Clown Copter turned and flew straight toward the Mario Bros. Mario looked at Luigi for a brief moment. Luigi seemed nervous, but Mario recognized the courageous glint in Luigi's eye. The pair nodded in unison as they prepared for battle. Mario looked back towards the Copter. Bowser flashed a wicked grin as he continued toward the pair.

Mario:

_Run Away_

**_Dodge to the Side_**

_Attack the Copter head on_

Mario dodged to his right. He could hear the blades under the copter which barely missed his head. Mario caught himself as his roll ended. A thud radiated a few yards away. Bowser must have jumped out of the copter. Mario twirled his body around as he stood up. Bowser was standing away from the Mario Bros. as he looked back and forth. The Koopa Clown Copter seemed to have landed safely a little ways in front of Bowser.

Bowser grunted, "Huh? Where did those two go? Did I smash them that easily? Yes! I knew I could beat those two losers eventually!"

Bowser was the current Koopa King. He looked like a giant green turtle with a spiked shell and red hair around his horns. He was incredibly strong and had long claws on his hands and feet. He could also breathe fire and was capable of using some dark magic. However, he was not very intelligent and did not put much thought in most of his actions.

"We're behind you!" Luigi yelled as he tried to stop his voice from quivering.

Bowser slowly turned around. Speed wasn't Bowser's strong point, either.

Bowser's face curled up in anger and yelled, "Ah! There you guys are! You have some nerve coming up from behind me like that!"

Luigi calmed down a little and said, "What? Are you serious? *groan*Never mind. What are you doing here?"

Bowser looked confused. "What? I can come over here as long as I'm not kidnapping anyone. I just wanted to see what this ugly building was all about."

Luigi sighed to himself. "If you must know, this is an academy to train the royal guards."

Bowser grinned. He tried holding in his laughter but he failed. "Gwa ha ha! Those puny toads will never be a match for my armada!" Bowser's coarse laughter filled the air. Bowser finally composed himself and said, "Fine! I'm sorry I wasted my time to see this hunk of stone! I'll see you super stupid bros. later!"

Now Luigi was the one that looked confused. "That's it? You came all the way over here just to hear that?"

Bowser threw one hand into air as he walked away and said, "I'm a busy koopa, Greenie. Life's not all about kart racing and partying, you know!"

Bowser got back in his Koopa Clown Copter and flew off. He seemed to be headed back to his castle. Mario and Luigi stared at Bowser to make sure he wasn't going to come back.

A familiar voice was then heard coming from the academy. "Ho! Master Mario and Master Luigi! Welcome to the Academy!"

Mario looked around to see Toadsworth and Professor Elvin Gadd walking out of the main building toward the gate. Toadsworth was an elderly toad that had a golden cap. He worked as an advisor for Princess Peach and was never seen without his trusty cane. Toadsworth also had a habit of speaking with British phrases for some odd reason. Professor Elvin Gadd was a human scientist that loved wacky gadgets and weird things to study. His swirly glasses and his wispy white hair screamed "mad scientist"… and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Toadsworth walked up to the Mario Bros. with a big smile on his face. "Jolly good show! It seems you two scare away that brute just by being around!"

Professor E. Gadd looked somewhat disappointed and said, "*Sigh* Yet another chance to test the defense grid slips by…"

"Hello Elvin! Hello… Master Toadsworth," Luigi said clumsily.

"Blimey! Master Luigi! You don't have to address me like that!" Toadsworth replied.

Luigi's face grew red. "Ah! Sorry! It's just that you always call us that and I'm not sure how to respond."

Professor E. Gadd let out a deep breath and scratched his head. "Toadsworth, you're a bit too formal for the rest of us. Anyway, can't spend all day talking! I'm sure you boys would like to take a tour of the campus. How about we get going?"

The group walked towards the main building. "How were these buildings built so quickly?" Luigi asked. "Are they even finished? We're the only plumbers around and we were never hired to work on the pipes."

Professor E. Gadd started to laugh rather manically. "Oh! That's the best part, Luigi! You're going to get a kick out of this! I… *snicker* … finally figured out how King Boo tricked you and your brother!"

Professor E. Gadd was talking about the time Luigi saved Mario from the King Boo's haunted mansion. Mario can feel his cheeks getting warmer.

"Boos seem to be able to bend the physical properties of matter," Professor E. Gadd explained. "It's like solid mass is just clay to the boos. The boos can take any object, rearrange the atoms, and mold the atoms into anything they darn well please. This power is amplified when a lot of boos gather in one spot. So I used this concept to transform a pile of rocks into this lovely campus. *laughter*"

A Boo was a type of ghost in the Mushroom Kingdom. Boos looked like a white floating ball with a face and a stub for a tail. Little information was known about them and boo research was a popular field of study. All boos loved playing pranks and scaring people. Boos were also known for being shy but some boos were friendly. There were even some boos that lived in town and mingled just like any other person.

Luigi's face grew pale. "So you're telling me… this campus… is filled with ghosts!"

Professor E. Gadd laughed again. "Don't be silly. I've been researching boos for years! I've backward engineered the whole process using technology! It's just that the machines I use need a lot of power and the campus will be reverted back to a pile of rocks again if the power goes out. Not a problem, though! I was also able to make a few back-up generators too!" The professor seemed quite pleased with himself.

"Amazing!" Luigi exclaimed. "I'm not sure I understand, though. Could you please explain everything in more detail later?"

"Of course," Gadd replied. Your tales of Brooklyn did intrigue me, Luigi. I decided to build a school similar to the one you two might be used to. It wouldn't hurt this town to see a little different architecture. Mushrooms here. Mushrooms there. How do the toads not get tired of all of this fungus?"

"That 'fungus' is the center of our culture!" Toadsworth yelled while he shook his cane.

Luigi and E. Gadd continued to talk. Mario followed the group as Toadsworth pointed out various rooms and areas of the campus. There was an auditorium, cafeteria, gym, male dorm, female dorm, several classrooms, and much more. The tour eventually came to a close and Toadsworth stood in front of the last door on the tour.

"This here is our security room," Toadsworth said. "However, we're still working out the kinks."

Gadd stroked his chin. "It's the strangest thing. Certain areas of the security grid will go off at midnight each night."

"That's odd. Do you think it's a glitch?" Luigi asked.

Gadd turned to Luigi and said, "A glitch? Nonsense! My inventions are always perfect!" Gadd pointed his finger at Luigi dramatically. "However, Toadsworth has been on my case lately. His definition of 'perfect' is a bit looser than other people."

Toadsworth seemed to be exasperated at this point. "How much 'looser' are we talking, old chap? We're talking about the security system, by gum!"

Gadd smiles to himself. "Don't worry. I'll fix it. Only a genius like me can improve upon perfection!"

Luigi turned to whisper to Toadsworth as Professor E. Gadd snickered to himself. "Has he been like this since he made that boo machine?"

Toadsworth began tapping his fingers on his cane. "Quite. His ego has been expanding like a hot air balloon."

The tour ended after Professor E. Gadd finished his laughing fit. Toadsworth helped Mario and Luigi fill out the faculty paperwork. The pair was also briefed about how the first semester is going to work. Mario and Luigi said good-bye to Toadsworth and Professor E. Gadd when everything was done.

May 18, 2013 – Saturday – Evening

Mario enjoyed a nice mushroom dinner with Luigi. Mario felt that tomorrow is going to be an important day, so he went to bed a bit early.

May 18, 2013 – Saturday – Late Night

Mario woke up sweating in a dark room. The room is very hot and very humid. Mario looked around. There is nothing but darkness for as far as the eye can see. Mario sat up and wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve. He wondered if this is a dream. The last thing he remembered is going to bed. Mario began to wonder if Igor was behind this dream too.

The room was too dark to see anything so exploring the place would have just gotten him lost. He closed his eyes and tried to listen for anything. A faint sound was heard. It sounded a little bit like a soft tapping sound. Mario immediately sprang up. It sounded like footsteps. There was someone else in the room.

Mario:

_"Hello?"_

_"Who's there?"_

**_"..."_**

Mario stayed quiet to pinpoint where the footsteps are coming are. Suddenly, Mario felt the impact of a punch square on his nose and stumbled back a bit. How could that guy move so fast? The footsteps were at least 30 yards away.

"I was expecting a bit more than that," a strange voice said. "Come on, Mars!"

The voice seems to be coming from all directions. The voice didn't sound familiar but it did sound masculine. Mario got in his fighting stance.

Mario:

_"Who are you?"_

**_"Why are you doing this?"_**

_"Why did you call me, 'Mars'?"_

"Oh. I'm just playing with you," the voice said. "I got an offer you can't refuse."

Mario stumbled forward. The man in the room kicked him the back. Mario quickly got back on his feet. The room was still too dark to see in.

"Look. I'm not going to lie," the voice said. You got some serious power. However, you're going to need a little push to get that power. Luckily for you, I can help you with that. I'm just going to ask you one thing. I want you to enter the last ring of the ninth circle of Hell."

The strange voice may have kept talking at this point, but Mario wasn't listening anymore. He was completely focused on his environment. He could hear the footsteps again. The footsteps sound like they're moving behind him. Mario waited for a second. The footsteps are now coming toward him very quickly. Mario spun around and caught the man's fist.

"Ho!" the voice shouted. "You caught it! Of course, this is only a dream. You wouldn't have had the power to stop my blow in the real world."

The man made a strange laugh. Mario couldn't quite place his finger on it, but there was something about the man's voice that wasn't right. Just hearing the voice made Mario's soul grow cold.

"What do you say? Do we have a deal?" the voice said.

Mario:

_"What's in this for me?"_

**_"I refuse!"_**

_"I just want to go back home."_

"Oh. That's too bad," the voice said rather violently." I already told you that this was an offer you can't refuse."

Mario's hand felt strange. It felt like his hand was going to sleep. The entirety of Mario's body followed suit. Mario couldn't hold himself up.

The voice continued. "Don't worry. What you do with this power is up to you. Hell, you can even ignore my request if you wish. I just would appreciate if you got rid of that guy. I think you want to get rid of him too. Especially considering what he has in store for your friends. Think about it. I'll see you around, Mars."

Mario started to lose consciousness.

May 19, 2013 – Sunday – Early Morning

Mario woke up back in his bed. He wondered how much longer these dreams are going to last.

May 19, 2013 – Sunday – Daytime

Mario walked over to the academy with Luigi. It was the opening ceremony for the academy. There seemed to be a crowd in front of the main building. A little stage was set up in front of the main building and audio equipment was set around the stage. There was at least 100 toads in the crowd. There also seemed to be a few people in the crowd who were not t toads. The Mario Bros. walked up to the main gate.

"Geez, Mario," Luigi said. "I'm amazed that so many people are here. How did the princess get so many people registered for class so quickly? I guess news spreads fast with warp pipes and those new portable mailbox 3DSes."

Mario:

_"So many people…"_

_"Let's show 'em what we're made of!"_

**_"Who do you think will show up?"_**

"Hmmm. I don't know," Luigi said. "Oh! We should find Toadsworth! We need to meet the other teachers."

"That won't be necessary," Toadsworth said.

"AHHHH!" Luigi yelled. Toadsworth appeared behind Luigi seemingly from nowhere.

"Ho ho!" Toadsworth was in much better spirits compared to yesterday. "Don't be so jumpy, Master Luigi. I didn't think heroes were so easily startled."

"Well…I…eerr," Luigi muttered. He wasn't sure how to respond. He was always jumpy but getting scared by Toadsworth was a new low.

"Anyway, I was going to introduce you to the rest of the faculty," Toadsworth said. "Professor Gadd will be principal, but you two have yet to meet our superintendent."

"Oh… ok. Who would that be?" Luigi asked. He seemed to have calmed down already.

"That would be me," said a familiar voice.

"Wuuuaahhhhh!" Luigi screamed again. Another figure appeared behind Luigi seemingly from nowhere. Luigi literally jumped a foot in the air this time.

Toadsworth gave a good and hearty laugh. "Oh my. *chuckle* I apologize. Master Mario. Master Luigi. This is Nastasia. She will be our superintendent."

Nastasia is a character that Mario and Luigi know all too well. Nastasia worked for a villain called Count Bleck not too long ago. She used her powers to mind control Bleck's enemies. Bleck tried to destroy every dimension in existence after his love, Lady Timpani, was supposedly killed. Timpani was able to reunite with Bleck with some help from Mario, Luigi, Bowser, and Peach. Bleck and Timpani used their love to stop the destruction of all dimensions, but the couple was never seen again afterwards. Nastasia was loyal to Bleck and dedicated her life to his last wish; to create a perfect world. Nastasia's skin is blue, and she has dark pink hair. She is always seen wearing formal wear and her glasses

"Yes. It is nice to meet you two," said Nastasia.

Nastasia seems a little tense. She didn't seem to want Toadsworth to know everything about her past.

Mario:

"_Long time no see, Nastasia."_

**_"Nice to meet you, too."_**

_"Stay out of my brain!"_

"Yeah," Nastasia said with a sad smile. "Umm. I look forward to working with you two, 'k?"

"Uuummmm… yeah. It's going to be a great semester," Luigi said.

Luigi still seems a little shaken. Nastasia brainwashed Luigi at one point, so he might still be a little anxious around her.

"Ho ho! Master Luigi is still shaking!" Toadsworth said. "Don't worry, son! Nastasia seems to have a number of odd powers. I was a little nervous myself for a while, but her administrative prowess seems second to none. I would be a fool not to hire her!"

"Ummm. Luigi," Nastasia stuttered. "Please calm down. We can't have half of our teaching staff in a panic, 'k?"

"Right," Luigi said. "*deep breath* You're right. What do you mean 'half of our teaching staff,' though?"

"Didn't Toadsworth tell you?" Nastasia said. "You two are the only teachers we currently have."

Mario thought that time stopped for a second. He couldn't even process the thought. How were they going to teach all of those people?

"What!" Luigi screamed. "Are you kidding? Tell me you're kidding, Toadsworth! How can we manage that?"

Toadsworth was taken aback. "Err… calm down, Master Luigi."

"Calm down! This is ludicrous!" Luigi yelled. "We're new at this teaching thing and you throw all of these people at us?"

"Like we had a choice!" Toadsworth yelled. "We're attacked by Bowser or some other weird creature practically on a monthly basis anymore! We had to do something about our royal guard and no one else wanted to teach!"

"That's another thing!" Luigi shouted. "You asked us to teach this school a few days ago! What would you have done if we said 'no'?"

"Since when have you two ever turned us down?" Toadsworth roared.

"You mean you took advantage of our kind nature? How cruel can you get?" Luigi moaned.

It looks like a fight could start at any moment.

Mario:

"_We deserve some respect, Toadsworth!"_

_"This was the most reasonable solution, Luigi!"_

**_"Please calm down, everyone."_**

Luigi: "But…bro…*Sigh* I don't agree with your methods, Toadsworth, but I made a promise."

"Luigi," Nastasia interjected. "We didn't mean to throw this all on you and your brother. It's just that the safety of the kingdom would be much higher once the guard gets up to par. M'kay? Toadsworth has been pushing the idea on Peach for some time.

"Toadsworth was the one who suggested building the academy?" Luigi asked. Toadsworth turned his head toward the crowd of students.

Nastasia said, "Yeah. It sounds like Bowser is a real threat to you guys. I was… rather surprised to hear that,"

Luigi shrugged his shoulders. "Well…yeah. I mean, I guess. More like an annoyance really."

Nastasia seems to be very confused. Nastasia was told that Bowser was a "great evil king" when the two first met. Yet Bowser helped Mario save all dimensions from destruction at that time.

Bowser is classified as an enemy officially by the Mushroom Kingdom, but Mario, Luigi, and Peach know that Bowser is more of a spoiled child than a tyrant. Bowser never hurts Princess Peach during his many kidnapping attempts. In fact, Peach says that her kidnappings are more like "bad dates" than anything else.

Another familiar voice was heard in the distance. "Mario! I thought I would see you here!"

Mario twirled around to see his old friend, Goombella. Goombella always wore a red tie and an archeology hardhat. Goombella is a university student that helped Mario search for magic artifacts called crystal stars. Some time ago, Peach acquired a map from an old merchant that led to the crystal stars. Peach sent the map to Mario so that the two of them could have an adventure looking for the relics. What Mario and Peach didn't know is that a criminal organization known as the X-nauts were also searching for the crystal stars to resurrect an ancient demon. Thankfully, Goombella met Mario early in his journey. The X-nauts targeted Goombella for meddling and Mario came to her rescue. Goombella's knowledge and fighting spirit helped Mario stop the X-nauts and save the princess.

Goombella was a goomba. A goomba was a brown, sentient mushroom. Goombas were just a little shorter than toads and do not have any arms. Goombas did have strong kicking muscles though. Most goombas entered Bowser's army but a few considered themselves independent. A few goombas even became Mushroom Kingdom citizens.

"Omigosh!" Goombella said. "It's been forever! You look good! Is that a new hat?"

"Oh?" Luigi said. "Ummm… Goombella, Right? I believe we met before."

Mario introduced everyone to Goombella and explained what happened with the X-nauts.

Toadsworth nodded. "Ah yes. That little incident. Well, thank you again for saving the princess! The Kingdom owes you a debt of gratitude! Yes, quite right. Anyway, the princess is about to address the crowd and then tours of the campus are going to commence. Master Mario and Master Luigi, I'm sure your students would like to meet you tonight, so please don't leave early. Remember that classes start first thing tomorrow! Tally ho!"

Nastasia bowed. "Have a good night, boys. M'kay? It was nice meeting you, Ms. Goombella."

Toadsworth and Nastasia walked towards the main building. Goombella looked like she is going to explode with excitement.

"I can't believe you're going to be a teacher!" Gombella said gleefully. "It makes sense, though! I learned so much from you, Mario!"

Mario:

_"I can't believe it either."_

_"I learned so much from you too!"_

**_"It's so good to see you again!"_**

Goombella's smile grew even bigger. "*Giggle* Totally! Umm… oh! Guess what I got the other day!"

Mario:

_"A new computer?"_

_**"Spaghetti?"**_

_"A boyfriend?"_

"Mmmm… that sounds good," Luigi said. "I wonder if we still have noodles back home."

Goombella sighed. "No no. That's not what I mean. I finally got my degree!"

"That's wonderful!" Luigi said. "So you're an archeologist now?"

"I actually got that degree a while ago," Goombella said. "I went back to class and got my teaching license!"

"Whoa," Luigi said. "I guess Professor Frankly really rubbed off on you."

"He sure did!" Goombella said. "It's so cool! I'm more qualified for your job than you two are!"

Mario chuckled a little, but he knew that Goombella's words are truer than he was comfortable admitting. Luigi blushed and looked away for a moment. Luigi was never good at hiding his emotions.

"Oh, I'm just teasing you two!" Goombella said. "I'm going up ahead and listening to Peach's speech. I'm sure you two are way busy right now. I'm going to be all over the place with my research for a while, but I'll stop by every now and then. See you later!"

Goombella ran to where the students were assembled. Just then, a voice was heard through the speakers up ahead.

The voice sounded like Toadsworth. "… and gentlemen. The princess is about… is this thing on? Hello? Hello? Blimey. Gadd! Get over… never mind! It seems to be working, by gum!"

"Let's get up there, bro," Luigi said. "We wouldn't be setting a good example for the students if we missed the princess' speech."

Luigi's voice was quivering. Luigi was probably scared of getting on stage.

The duo started walking toward the crowd. Goombella was already out of sight and Mario couldn't see anyone who he recognizes. Mario stopped for a moment. He could hear something in the distance. It sounded like something is coming from the sky. Mario looked toward the horizon. Several airships could be seen coming towards the academy!

A loud clang came from near the main gate. Mario turned around to see a monty mole closing the main gate. The mole looked up to see Mario. The mole flashed a grin and starts tunneling into the ground. Bowser seemed to be trapping everyone on campus. Mario sighed to himself. He knew that the toads were going to panic if they saw Bowser unexpectedly like this. The situation could improve if someone just tells the toads to stay calm until Luigi and himself take care of everything.

"No!" Toadsworth shrieked. "Bowser! Get the princess to safety! Code red! Code red!

The crowd panicked and people ran in every direction.

"Buh huh huh!" said a familiar voice. "Turtle boy has come for a fight, huh? Sounds good to me!

"Bowser?" yelled a frightened toad. "What's going on? He's not on the schedule! Help!"

"Oy!" shouted a memorable voice. "Bowser? I 'aven't crossed chunks with 'im in ages!"

"I… I don't even have a weapon!" said one scared toad. "What can I do? Someone! Save me!"

Luigi looked over at his brother. "Mario! What are we going to do?"

Mario:

_"Calm the crowd!"_

_"Take down the soldiers!"_

**_"Go for Bowser!"_**

"Yeah," Luigi said. "The soldiers should retreat if we defeat Bowser. Let's see. Which airship is his? Umm… oh! That big one in the front! That's probably him!"

The airships arrived at the academy by this point. The airships surrounded the campus grounds and hovered above the fence. Goombas, koopa troopas, and hammer bros. can be seen on the airships.

Koopa troopa was a common species in the Mushroom Kingdom. Koopas were turtles that walked upright and had the capability to speak. Some koopas had shells with wings on them and were called paratroopas. Hammer bros. were koopas that knew how to wield hammers in combat. There were several variations of hammer bros., such as fire bros. and boomerang bros. Hammer bros. were never seen without their helmet. A lot of koopas and hammer bros. joined Bowser's army but there were a few that just wanted to live in peace.

Luigi was right. Bowser was on the largest airship. Bowser's airship hovered right in the middle of the courtyard. Bowser Jr. was standing next to his dad. The juvenile koopa looked like his father if Bowser was in elementary school. Bowser Jr.'s spikes are smaller than his fathers and his fire breath isn't nearly as ferocious. The young prince wore a bandana over his mouth to look fiercer. The bandana had fangs drawn on it. Bowser Jr. had been more and more involved with Bowser's plots at the time and it was almost universally agreed that Bowser Jr. was smarter than his papa.

"Gwa ha ha!" Bowser laughed. "You puny toads think you can stand up to me? Look at the fine troops in front of you! None of you stand a chance against my soldiers! Squads two and four! Go down there and show those punks what's in store for them! Junior! Lead the charge!

"You got it, Papa!" Bowser Jr. yelled.

Bowser Jr. and several soldiers from the other airships jumped down to face the crowd. Many of the academy students ran back to the main building while others stayed to fight. Bowser Jr. noticed Mario and Luigi immediately and ran straight toward the duo.

"You two aren't getting away this time!" the prince yelled as he closed in.

Mario drew his hammer. Mario's hammer had a head almost the size of Mario's skull. Bowser Jr. drew his magic paintbrush. The magic paintbrush was an invention of Professor E. Gadd but Bowser Jr. tricked the professor out of it. The magic paintbrush had the capability to animate anything that was drawn with the paintbrush. Bowser Jr. preferred to only use the paint itself in emergencies because he didn't consider it a fair fight otherwise.

Bowser Jr. jumped and swung his paintbrush at Mario midair. Mario raised his hammer and blocked the attack. The force behind the attack was pretty strong. Bowser Jr. definitely inherited his father's strength.

Bowser Jr. and Mario traded a few blows. Bowser Jr. was stronger than Mario, but Mario had more technique. The paintbrush was also much thinner and longer than Mario's hammer.

Mario:

_**"Your paintbrush is more like a staff than a sword. You should use your reach to your advantage."**_

_"…"_

Bowser Jr. seems to be taken aback. "How dare you lecture me? I swear! You'll be the one begging me for lessons!"

Bowser Jr. started swinging his paintbrush wildly. Mario stepped back a bit and decided to drop his hammer. The plumber grabbed the paintbrush while Bowser Jr. was swinging it.

Bowser Jr. was surprised. "Huh? L..let go!"

Mario grabbed the paintbrush with both hands and swung it over his head. Bowser Jr. was still holding on to the other end.

"Wh… what are you… waaahhh!" Bowser Jr. screamed as he was flung on his back.

Bowser Jr. hit the ground pretty hard. He seemed to be a bit dazed.

Mario took a deep breath. Suddenly, the earth beneath him shook violently. Mario fell to his knees. Mario turned around to see that Bowser just jumped off the airship and landed right behind him.

Bowser looks pissed. "That's enough! You'll have to deal with me now, pudgy!"

Bowser stomped forward and tried to claw at Mario. Bowser's claws were moving too fast to counterattack and he wasn't going to use his fire breathe attack so close to his son. Mario quickly turned and somersaulted over Bowser. Mario grimaced while in the air. He realized that he jumped at the wrong angle and that he's going to land too close to Bowser's back.

Bowser smirked. "Nice try, Mario!"

Bowser was able to turn and swipe his claws just as Mario was about to land. The red plumber was thrown 10 yards away from Bowser. Mario hit the ground and skidded to a halt. Hardly the first time Bowser hit Mario like that. Mario stood back up and got in his fighting stance. However, Bowser Jr. was up and running again. Facing the two at the same time was a little trickier.

No matter. Mario was ready to face these two no matter what the situation. However, Mario's head started to ache. He put his hands on his head. Something wasn't right. Something felt very off. It was almost as if Mario could feel a bad vibe in the air. Mario fell back down to his knees again.

That was when Mario heard a voice inside his head. "I am thou. Thou art I. Thou art the one who will venture into the darkness."

Mario tried to focus on the battlefield again. He could see Bowser Jr. running at him, but Mario had a hard time just standing back up. That's when a sapphire blur came running past Mario straight at Bowser Jr. The blur looked like a toad carrying a hammer, but Mario never seen a toad run that fast before. The hammer was also quite large for the small toad. In fact, the hammer didn't look much smaller than Mario's hammer.

"Look out, toadie girly!" Bowser Jr. yelled as he ran.

The toad swung her hammer and blasted Bowser Jr. halfway across the courtyard! The toad didn't even stop running! Mario knew that toads were stronger than they looked, but that toad was swinging her hammer around like it's nothing.

"Junior!" Bowser roared. The koopa king looked furious. "You'll pay for that, you little twerp!"

Bowser swung his claws down, but the toad stopped right before his reach. Bowser raised his hands to prepare for another strike, but he was too slow. The toad jumped straight for Bowser's gut when his belly was exposed. The toad smashed the hammer into Bowser's stomach as if it was a gong.

Bowser cried in agony, "Arrgh! Oufff!"

Bowser was knocked straight on the back of his shell. The toad dropped the hammer and grabbed Bowser's tail. The toad started to swing the Koopa King around like she was practicing for the hammer throw competition. The toad let Bowser go and Bowser went flying straight into one of the airships.

Bowser scream could be heard as he made impact with the airship, "AAAAARRRGGHHHH!"

The airship pretty much fell straight out of the sky and just outside of the academy fence. There wasn't a single person within a three mile radius that wasn't either staring at the downed airship or at the sapphire toad. Bowser's troops realized that the battle was over and made a hasty retreat. The toad picked up her hammer and started walking towards Mario. Mario's headache continued to throb even as the toad reached him. The toad was a girl just like Bowser Jr. said. The toad had an innocent smile on her face.

"You must be Mario, right? It's nice to meet you," the toad girl said. Her voice sounded so sweet.

Mario:

_"The pleasure is all mine. Who might you be?"_

_"Thanks for lending me a hand back there."_

**_"Nice to meet you too. What's your name?"_**

"Tenasa T. Is it ok for me to be blunt, Mario?" Tenasa said.

Mario nodded his head.

Tenasa said, "I would like to be a teacher at this academy."

Mario was pretty sure that his head blew a fuse. Who was this mysterious girl? How was she so strong? Toadsworth, Luigi, and company rushed over to meet the mysterious girl and to check on Mario's wounds. Mario looked down at his body to see how bad the damage was. He also noticed that his hand was gripping something. How odd. He didn't remember picking anything up. Mario opened his hand to see a tarot card. It was of the fool arcana.

*End of chapter 1*


End file.
